Kevin Righter, Planetary Scientist
Petrology and Geochemistry
NASA / KT
Kevin.righter-1@nasa.gov
281-483-5125
Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, 1994
M.S. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1989
B.A. Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges, Haverford, PA, 1987
Igneous petrology including application of experimental petrology and geochemical analysis to understanding both terrestrial and planetary materials. Planetary research has focused on core formation, the origin of the Earth and Moon, studies of both differentiated and chondritic meteorites, the role of volatiles (S, C, H, O) in the origin of basaltic magmatism (Moon, Mars, Earth and asteroids), and the distribution of highly siderophile elements in natural materials. Terrestrial research has involved both field and experimental studies of basaltic volcanism in continental arcs, especially western Mexico. Addressing all of these problems has involved a combination of geochemistry, petrology, mineralogy and experimental petrology.
Righter, K. and O’Brien, D. (2011) Terrestrial planet formation. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sciences, in press.
Righter, K., Sutton, S., Danielson, L.R., Pando, K., Schmidt, G., Yang, H., Berthet, S., Newville, M., Choi, Y., Downs, R.T., and V. Malavergne (2011) The effect of fO2 on the partitioning and valence of V and Cr in garnet/melt pairs and the relation to terrestrial mantle V and Cr content. American Mineralogist, in press.
Righter, K., King, C., Danielson, L.R, Pando, K., and C.T. Lee (2011) Experimental determination of the metal/silicate partition coefficient of Germanium: Implications for core and mantle differentiation. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 304, 379-388.
Righter, K. (2011) Prediction of metal-silicate partition coefficients for siderophile elements: an update and assessment of PT conditions for metal-silicate equilibrium during accretion of the Earth. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 304, 158–167.
Righter, K. and Chabot, N.L. (2011) Moderately and slightly siderophile element constraints on the depth and extent of melting in early Mars. Met Planet. Sci. 46, 157-176.
Righter, K., Valencia, V., Rosas-Elguera, J., and Caffee, M. (2010) Channel incision in the Rio Atenguillo, Jalisco, Mexico: 36Cl constraints on rates and cause, Geomorphology 120, 279–292.
Righter, K., Pando, K., Danielson, L.R., and Lee, C.-T. (2010) Partitioning of Mo, P and other siderophile elements (Cu, Ga, Sn, Ni, Co, Cr, Mn, V, W) between metal and silicate melt as a function of temperature and melt composition. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 291, 1-9.
Righter, K., Pando, K., Danielson, L.R. (2009) Experimental evidence for sulfur-rich martian magmas: implications for volcanism and surficial sulfur sources. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 288, 235-243.
Campbell, A.J., Danielson, L.R., Righter, K., Seagle, C.T., Wang, Y., Prakapenka, V.B. (2009) High pressure effects on the iron-iron oxide and nickel-nickel oxide oxygen fugacity buffers. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 286, 556–564.
Berthet, S., Malavergne, V., and Righter, K. (2009) Evolution of Indarch (EH4 chondrite) at 1 GPa and high temperature: implications for early planetary differentiation processes. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 73, 6402-6420.
Danielson, L.R., Righter, K., and Humayun, M. (2009) Mineralogy, petrology and trace element chemistry of Cumulus Ridge (CMS) 04071 pallasite. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 44, 1019-1032.
Righter, K., Humayun, M., Campbell, A.J., Danielson, L.R., Hill, D., and Drake, M.J. (2009) Experimental studies of metal-silicate partitioning of Sb: implications for the terrestrial and lunar mantles. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 73, 1487-1504.
Righter, K., H. Yang, G. Costin, and R.T. Downs (2008) Oxygen fugacity in the martian mantle controlled by carbon: new constraints from the nakhlite MIL03346. Met. Planet. Sci. 43, 1709-1723.
Righter, K., Humayun, M., and Danielson, L.R. (2008) High pressure and temperature partitioning of palladium during core formation. Nature Geoscience 1, 321-323.
Righter, K., Chesley, J.T., Caiazza, C.M., Gibson, E.K., Jr., and Ruiz, J. (2008) Sulfide stability in arc basalts and implications for Re and Os. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 72, 926-947.
Righter, K. (2007) Not so rare Earth? New developments in understanding the origin of the Earth and Moon. Chemie der Erde 67, 179-200.
Righter, K. and Neff, K.E. (2007) Temperature and oxygen fugacity constraints on CK and R chondrites and implications for water and oxidation in the early solar system, Polar Science 1, 25-44.